It was a rainy day
by OTH-FOQ
Summary: ...when their story started. Elena/Caroline one-shot. Friendship/Hurt/Comfort/Angst/Romance. Dedicated to Confliction. Better than it sounds, I bet.


**Hi everyone :)**

**I've never written a Elena/Caroline story, but Confliction asked me to, so I wrote this for her !**

**I hope you'll all like it ! Don't forget to leave a few words :)**

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><p>It was a rainy day, when they first met. They were five years old, and it was the beginning of the school year in Mystic Falls Elementary School. They sat side by side, not even knowing each other's name. It didn't matter. The teacher was talking and they were listening.<p>

The blonde little girl was the first one to speak, telling her that her shoes were nice but her hair looked awful. She instantly replied that at least she didn't look like a Barbie. They smiled and never left each other's side for the rest of the day.

000

It was a rainy day, when they decided to pretend they were sisters. It was during the last year of Elementary School and they were now best friends, always sitting side by side and staying away from the other girls. They thought no one had ever had a friendship this strong.

000

It was a rainy day, when they entered high-school. They hadn't seen each other for quite a while because the blonde girl's mother had decided to put her daughter in a private secondary school. The little brunette had found another friend and she barely acknowledged the blonde during the first weeks. They had grown apart and it seemed like they had very little in common, so they stayed away from each other, silently missing the good old days.

000

It was a rainy day, when she kissed her first boyfriend, not knowing that her former friend watched her from the bench under the tree. She walked hand in hand with him, unaware of his intentions. He was two years older than her, and she trusted him. He walked her home later that afternoon, and when he left, she surprised herself thinking that the only person she wanted to tell about him and the kiss was the one she had spent three months of her life ignoring.

000

It was a rainy day, when he brought her to her first party and handed her a drink. She trusted him when he said it was only a cocktail of fruits with no alcohol. She emptied the glass and started to feel dizzy a few minutes later. She wanted to go home and he said that a friend would drive them back to her place. In the parking-lot, they weren't alone anymore. It wasn't a friend, it was six. And she couldn't walk straight. Her vision was a blur. But she knew she was in trouble.

She tried to fight back but every movement was slow and her eyelids were heavy. She barely felt the hand that reached up her skirt. She didn't remember what happened afterwards. When she opened her eyes, a blonde girl with bright blue eyes was looking at her, worried sick. Immediately she tried to speak, but the other girl told her not to. They were in a car she didn't recognize.

000

It was a rainy day, when she woke up after the party, the blonde teenager lying beside her in a bed. Her head was spinning, and she couldn't recall the events of the past night. The blue-eyed girl reassured her. She'd been able to stop the boys from doing "whatever they were planning to do". She closed her eyes and let the tears fall freely as she slowly started to put the pieces together. Only then did she realize who her savior was, and she cried even harder. She didn't back away when she felt a pair of arms circling her waist. Instead, she placed her head in the crook of her friend's neck. It had been a very long time.

000

It was a rainy day, when they all got back to school after the Christmas holidays. She dumped her boyfriend and threatened to go to the police if he ever did that again to another girl. This time, she knew her best-friend was watching her. And she felt stronger than ever. She told the boy to go to hell when he tried to apologize, and she meant it with all her heart. Then she turned round and walked away from him, knowing he was nothing but a loser.

000

It was a rainy day, when her other best-friend, a blond guy, finally asked her out. She accepted gladly, knowing that he was nothing like the jerk she had once dated. When they first kissed, she called her "sister" right away. They talked about it for an hour on the phone. She couldn't be happier. Everything was falling into place, and her life was perfect.

000

It was a rainy day, when the car crashed over the bridge, killing her parents and allowing her to live. And she felt guilty. It was all her fault. She broke up with her boyfriend even though she was very fond of him. She didn't want to deal with anyone. Only one person knew better than that and stayed by her side, offering her a shoulder to cry on. They barely spoke during that time, but words weren't necessary.

000

It was a rainy day, when they put her parents in the ground. Her brother and her aunt were standing by her side, holding hands. But she felt disconnected. No tears rolled on her cheeks. When the ceremony ended, she remained still. Everybody muttered a few words, telling her to be strong and to never forget how much her parents loved her. She knew that already. If they didn't love her, they wouldn't have given a crap that she went to that party and they wouldn't have had to pick her up. They would be alive.

She barely heard her family calling her name, urging her to climb into the car. When they understood that she wouldn't come, they left without another word. And she knew she wasn't alone. She could feel her presence, a few feet behind her. When she felt a hand brushing against hers, she took it slowly and finally, finally she allowed her tears to fall.

000

It was a rainy day, when they fought for the first time, a month after her parent's death. Things were never going to be the same. And the brunette cried, fearing that she had lost her best-friend forever.

They didn't see each other during the rest of the summer, and on their first day back to school, her friend's shallowness towards her broke her heart. But then she saw _him_, and she knew that maybe, things could get better.

She saw the jealousy in her friend's eyes but she didn't care. Now was the time to be selfish. She wanted to be happy. She needed to be happy. And it looked like he could give her that.

000

It was a rainy, day when she visited her friend at home for the first time after she was turned into a vampire. Sometimes she wondered how crazy this world was. It had been a year since she had learnt the truth about all the monsters that lived among the humans. And very often she couldn't sleep at night. But she kept it a secret. There was no point in telling this to anyone. She stayed with the newly turned vampire that night, and she fell asleep next to her. No nightmare came to disturb her sleep.

000

It was a rainy day, when she realized she'd have to die to save everybody else's lives. And she was okay with it. Things at this point were too complicated, and she didn't respond to her best-friend when she begged her to run away with her. She didn't want to listen. And since her back was turned, she missed the tears silently rolling down the blonde's cheeks.

000

It was a rainy day, when she got back from Chicago and told her friend everything about her encounter with her now ex-boyfriend. An hour later, when she finally stopped crying, the blonde vampire kissed the top of her head and brought her ice-cream. They ate in silence, on her bed, while the radio was displaying some old classic song.

000

It was a rainy day, when they finally decided to leave town for a while just to be on their own after all the mess that had happened in Mystic Falls. They skipped town at night, just leaving a note behind, telling the others not to worry. And then they were off, on the road, in the blonde's car. And everything was silent around them. They watched the first ray of sun fighting away the rain of the night and they both smiled when it made a beautiful rainbow above their heads.

000

It was a rainy day, when they got home completely drunk, barely managing to walk, with their arms linked and big smiles on their faces. It had been a very long night. The vampire had started to drink long before her friend who was still human and didn't have the same level of immunity to alcohol. They crashed on the bed they shared, and the brunette giggled as her friend lightly kissed her on the lips and wished her to sleep tight.

000

It was a rainy day, when Elena Gilbert realized she felt something more than a simple friendship for Caroline Forbes. They were still travelling, just the two of them, visiting the country and sleeping in different places every weeks. And neither of them felt like going back to Mystic Falls. The drunken kiss had soon become a tradition. Every time they went out and ended up wasted, one of them would lean in and place a chaste kiss on the other's lips. And it wasn't awkward at all. It was just perfectly normal. And for the first time in a few years, they lived life like the young women they were. Nothing was complicated. They were free.

000

It was a rainy day, when Elena gently kissed her friend while being sober. It was gentle and not pushed. It was natural. And Caroline didn't push her away. They just looked at each other quietly for a few seconds afterwards, and the blonde vampire got up, smiled at her and simply walked away. Elena later remembered that despite her smile, Caroline had looked incredibly confused and sad after the kiss. She waited for her friend to come back all day, but she only reappeared after nightfall, completely drunk and barely able to hold herself together. Elena had never seen her like that.

000

It was a rainy day, when the brunette discovered a letter on the bed besides her with her name written on the envelope. She tore it apart without even reading it. She already knew what it said. Caroline was gone. And she burst into tears, cursing herself for being so damn stupid and letting her humanity get the best of her. Things had been different since that kiss, but she had refused to believe that it had ruined their friendship. She had been wrong. And so she packed her things and went back to Mystic Falls.

000

It was a rainy day, when she heard that the blonde vampire was back in town. It was a year later and incidentally, her birthday. She was turning twenty. Her friends gathered at her house and offered her presents. But she couldn't enjoy herself and she kept looking around for _her_. When her boyfriend told her he loved her, she didn't respond and he seemed to understand. It was like he knew. It didn't surprise her, though. He had always known her better than she would ever be able to know herself.

When she was finally left alone in her house after everyone's departure, Elena allowed herself to drop the smile she'd been wearing on her face all day and she sat on the edge of her bed, looking at a picture of Caroline and her, taken during their trip to Vegas. Knowing that she had to move on, she sighed and let the picture fall into the little trash can of her room, and she went to the bathroom for a hot bath.

After thirty minutes, she came back into the room and stopped dead in her tracks. The photo was on her pillow, and next to it were a red rose and a small white card. _Happy Birthday.__ Love, Caroline._ And the window was opened. And Elena smiled a real smile, and the tears in her eyes were just pure happiness. Maybe things would get better. Maybe their friendship wasn't lost.

000

It is a rainy day, when Caroline finally finds enough strength to come over to the Gilbert's house and ask Elena's little brother if she is home. He opens the door for her and tells her that Elena is in her room. And so she goes upstairs. The door is half-open, and she can see her friend writing in her diary. It makes her smile, and she wonders why it has taken her so long to step out of her hidden spot. But today's the day. There's no more hiding. No more running away. No more denial.

Slowly as to not startle her friend, Caroline pushes the door open and walks into the room. Elena gets up immediately when she notices her and lets her diary fall onto her bed carelessly. They don't speak for a while. And then, Caroline explains everything. Why she ran away. Why she couldn't return the kiss. Why she chose to stay out of Elena's life.

She tells the truth. She's afraid. She's afraid of what she's feeling, because she's never felt anything quite like this, because they are both girls. And because she's a vampire and she'll stay young forever whereas Elena will grow old and eventually die. And she cries because it's something she knows she will never be able to handle.

Elena remains quiet but she takes a step forward, encouraging her friend to talk more. But Caroline has nothing left to say. She wipes the tears from her face, and tells her friend that she's tired of trying to avoid her, tired of denying her heart what it wants, tired of being tired.

And she kisses her. Elena can taste the vampire's tears on her lips but she couldn't care less. It's a kiss full of sweetness and bitterness, of regret and of hope. It is not rushed and sloppy. Elena thinks it's perfect. And Caroline doesn't think at all.

There's no weird look and awkward moment when they pull away. It's just pure happiness and joy, and Elena's eyes well up with tears. For a moment, Caroline panics, but quickly the brunette smiles at her and all her doubts and fears fly out the window. They hug each other for an eternity and it seems so natural that it almost frightens them. But the time for that kind of childish reaction is over.

000

It is a rainy day, when they wake up together for the first time, a couple of months later. They share a knowing look, and ten minutes later, they're outside on the road, holding each other's hands and dancing in circles, laughing harder than ever. And when their clothes are totally wet, and their hair are plastered on their heads, they link their arms and walk away from the house.

It is later that day that Elena subtly hints at Caroline that she feels like eternity will never be enough for the both of them. The vampire understands what her girlfriend is getting at and she refuses right away. She will never steal Elena's future away from her.

000

The sun shines brightly when Elena opens her eyes. The first thing she sees is her girlfriend's worried look and before she can even say a word, Caroline apologizes for the neck-snapping. But Elena reassures her. She doesn't have any regret. They did the right thing. And she smiles when she sees the ring on her hand. They walk out of the woods and into town. This is the very first test for Elena. But she isn't afraid. Caroline will never leave her side no matter what. And as they enter the Grill, Elena silently thanks her lucky star.

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><p><strong>Okay, there is a lot of rain in Elena's life, but hey, this is fiction after all.<strong>

**I didn't really know where I was going with that, but inspiration left me after the last sentence and I decided to publish it that way. I feel like it isn't complete and at the same time, I'm not sure there's anything else to say.**

**What did you think of it ?**

**OTH-FOQ**


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